Celebrated conductor and violinist Thomas Zehetmair is to perform with his renowned Zehetmair Quartet in Hexham this month.

The performance will take place at the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre on February 10.

This concert, arranged by the Hexham and District Music Society, is the only UK performance in a brief European tour, which also takes the quartet to Luxembourg and Amsterdam.

Music by Brahms, Webern, and Sibelius will be played at the concert.

Joan Peugniez, chair of the society, said: "It is such a privilege to have the Zehetmair Quartet playing for us in Hexham, and a wonderful opportunity for our audience to witness for themselves the superb playing that has earned the quartet its enviable international reputation."

The quartet, founded in 1994, rank among the world's top quartets.

Their mastery of both mainstream and contemporary music has been recognised by the press, with the Sunday Times praising the 'huge finesse' of their performance.

Mr Zehetmair, the former music director of the Royal Northern Sinfonia from 2002 to 2014, helped transform the orchestra into one of England's leading ensembles.

He is still linked with the orchestra as conductor laureate, leading two concerts this season.

In 2012, his musical contributions were honoured with an honorary doctorate from Newcastle University.

Tickets are now available at the Queen's Hall box office.